1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light controlling apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with improved high-quality performance of a portable equipment having an image pickup function and a small-size optical apparatus such as micro video scope, there has been increasing demand for an application of a focusing lens and a variable aperture instead of a conventional fixed focusing lens and a fixed aperture.
Further small-sizing has been sought in the optical elements as well. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2002-296637, a structure in which, a diaphragm blade is divided into two, and the two diaphragm blades are accommodated at a position upon being retracted from an optical aperture formed in a substrate, making it suitable for small-sizing has been proposed.
However, in the abovementioned conventional technology, the two diaphragm blades are driven simultaneously by one drive source. Each of the two diaphragm blades has a coupling section for coupling with a separate rotating shaft and a drive source, thereby making the structure complicated. Therefore, the assembling is extremely difficult.